Searching in Blue
by fringeperson
Summary: ONESHOT. DO NOT OWN. COMPLETE. Amu can't help but worry about the things she can't fix.


Amu was worried about Ikuto. Yoru was still up at all hours searching, and when he wasn't searching he was too exhausted to do anything but sleep in his egg which had found its way to the basket her eggs stayed in, so she worried about him too. Miki was the only one of her charas to worry with her. Ran was mostly concerned for what the worry was doing to Amu, and Suu was too upbeat in general to worry for very long, though Amu knew her green-clad shugo chara was always concerned for everybody. It was Miki who stayed up late with Amu, trying to comfort her and help her come up with ideas on what they could do, and it was Miki who took care of Yoru most of the time, even if she had to ask Suu what sort of things she should do, she was still the one who did most of them.

When Amu went out late at night herself to search, it was Miki she transformed with. Blue was an easier colour to hide in than bright pink, and even if she wasn't as fast as Ran, Miki was better at noticing details and pointing them out for Amu to examine, trying to figure out if it was something that would help in their search for Ikuto. Suu was given the duty of keeping watch over Yoru at these times.

Nagihiko had caught them at it once. He had been walking home from an evening basketball game with Rhythm and they had bumped into each other coming around a corner. Understandably, the Jack's Chair of the Guardians hadn't been particularly happy with Amu's night time activities, but Nagihiko had also admitted that he admired her dedication to those she cared about. The next day off from school he had come to visit her, and they had brainstormed on ways to find out what Easter was up to, and how to rescue Ikuto from the company that was clearly controlling him like a marionette.

Between the two of them, and the three blue coloured charas, they worked their way through the problem. The key was Ikuto's violin. It was important to him, so he held onto it, but Easter had done something to it so they could control him. It would be best for them if there was some way to undo what had been done, and kidnap Ikuto from the company.

Suu might be able to fix the violin problem with her 'remake honey', but that was only a maybe, and that still left how to get Ikuto away from Easter, and where he could stay without them finding him. It was getting late and they hadn't found an answer yet, but Nagihiko had to go home for dinner with his family. Before Nagi and Rhythm left though, Amu took a picture of Yoru, Miki and Rhythm together. Miki was between the boys, who were both smiling with an arm around her, and that was reason enough for her to love the photograph.

"Amu-chan?" Yoru asked, peeking out from his egg. He had been about to go to sleep, but he had heard her moving about her room.

"What is it Yoru?" she asked, kneeling down in front of the basket where her eggs and Yoru's were during the night.

"I miss Ikuto-nya."

"I miss him too, but we'll save him Yoru, I promise," Amu said, patting his hair softly.

"Yeah," added Miki, peeping out of her egg as well. "We won't give up until he's safe and you're together again."

"Thank you," Yoru said. "I'm going to go searching for him again tomorrow, okay?"

Amu nodded. "Take my phone with you, that way you can call Nagi if... _when_ you find him. We'll both drop everything to help you and Ikuto. Goodnight Yoru. Goodnight Miki."

"Goodnight-nya."

"Goodnight Amu-chan."

Amu nodded, plugged her phone into its charger and made sure it was turned on, checked to make sure her alarm clock was also on, then unlatched her balcony window, leaving it open just a crack – in case Ikuto came – and went to sleep.

"We will definitely save Ikuto," she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.

She was just barely asleep when the door slid open, and the teenager in question stumbled into the room. Glancing around the room, he had enough sense to put his violin down before falling onto the bed beside Amu. Of course, that he landed rather heavily on the bed roused its other occupant.

"Huh? Ikuto?!" Amu expclaimed, sitting up in bed like she had been spring loaded. "Yoru! Miki! Suu! Wake up!" she called to the chara. Turning to the blue haired boy, she held his shoulders firmly and looked for any injuries.

"Ikuto!" Yoru cried, tears running down his face as he flew to his master. "I was so worried about you nya! I've been searching everywhere, and Amu-chan and Miki-chan and even one of the other guardians helped! Please don't ever leave me again nya!" Yoru wailed, burying his face in Ikuto's shirt as he blubbered.

"Suu," Amu called, more gently, not wanting to interrupt the reunion, but knowing that she had something to do.

"Here I am!" Suu answered, ready to pull a character transformation and see what could be done to reverse whatever Easter had done to Ikuto's violin.

Miki found and opened the case. It barely took ten seconds, and the old instrument was gleaming like new.

"I hope that does it," Miki said, as Suu left Amu to go back to sleep.

"I hope so too," Amu agreed with a sigh.

"Thank you Amu-chan nya," Yoru murmured, sniffing a little. "Thank you so much for what you've done nya."

"It's alright Yoru," Amu said, petting him on the head gently. Looking over at Ikuto again, still on her bed even though she had jumped up, she noticed that he had fallen asleep. Glancing up at Yoru and Miki, she asked them if they could tuck him in for her while she told her mother. She'd learned her lesson from last time she'd tried hiding the teenager in her room, and this time she was going to do it right.

"Mama," Amu called going down the stairs to the living room where her parents were still awake.

"Yes Amu-chan, what is it?"

"I need your help, please?"

She barely waited for Midori to answer before turning and going back upstairs, indicating through her actions that she needed her to follow. Amu waited by her door for her mother, and when she arrived, didn't bother to wait for the questioning to begin, but rather launched into a slightly adulterated version of events.

"My friend Ikuto, he's sick and his family situation isn't very good. He's been missing for a while, that is, he couldn't get away from his family. He managed to get away though, and he came here, where he feels safe. He's not very well right now though, and I want to take care of him. I'll do everything Mama, so you won't be burdened. Please can he stay Mama? His family really isn't very nice, and if I don't know where he is then I worry that they've caught him and are doing bad things to him again. He can have my bed, and I'll sleep on the floor with a futon so that I can be there if something happens in the night like a fever. Please Mama?" Amu begged.

Midori was taken aback, shocked at her daughter who hardly ever asked for anything.

"Your father will cry, and probably run away into the bathroom for a while," she pointed out.

"I'll talk to Papa until he calms down again," Amu insisted.

Midori looked at her daughter. Pink hair a little mussed, pyjamas covering her from neck to ankle, and the most determined and fired up expression on her face that Midori could ever remember seeing.

"You really want to do this, don't you?" she asked.

Amu nodded.

"I've never seen you so insistent before," observed her mother. "Alright," she conceded with a sigh. "Since it clearly means that much to you to take care of this boy, he can stay, but Amu-chan," Midori said, taking her eldest child by her shoulders and bending to look her straight in the eye. "I want you to think very carefully about _why_ you want to help him so much. You said he's a friend, and I know how big hearted you are with your friends..."

"I love him Mama," Amu said, her voice quiet but sure. "I didn't like him so much when we first met, but I didn't know so much about him then either. Since I got to know him, and understand more about him, I couldn't help but love him, and worry about him when I don't see him and -"

"I've already said yes, Amu-chan," Midori interrupted her daughter, smiling as she reminded her. "And I'll explain to your father."

"Thank you Mama," Amu said, giving her mother a hug. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, now go take care of him, I'll fetch out the futon for you."

Amu gave Midori one last squeeze before dashing back into her room, rushing immediately to Ikuto's side.

Yoru was still hovering over the boy.

"How's he doing?" Amu asked, gently brushing some of Ikuto's hair out of his face.

"He's okay nya," Yoru answered. "Exhausted, underfed, and a little bruised, but okay."

"What did your mama say?" Miki asked.

"Ikuto can stay," Amu said, relief flooding her features and those of the two blue charas floating beside her. "Mama's fetching me a futon so I can sleep on the floor and keep and eye on him. You can go to sleep if you want," she offered, even as she stood up and grabbed her phone.

"Who are you calling at this time Amu?" Miki asked.

"I'm just sending Nagi-kun a text to let him know. Even if he doesn't get it til morning, I'm sure he'd rather know sooner than later," explained Amu.

The two charas nodded, and Amu pressed the send button and put the phone down again just as Midori appeared with the futon.

"Thanks Mama," Amu said, hugging her mother again.

"Of course Amu-chan. How is he?"

"Too tired and too thin, and I think they were beating him too, but I haven't checked yet. If he catches a cold as well from being out so late just to reach me, then it could be really bad."

Midori nodded her understanding.

"I'll make him a special breakfast in the morning," Amu promised. "Something to help him get his strength back, and when he's feeling better you'll be able to actually meet him."

Midori smiled, helped Amu roll out the futon, and kissed her forehead goodnight before closing the door again.

Amu didn't use the futon, but rather climbed into her own bed with Ikuto, wrapping her arms around his middle to make absolutely sure he wouldn't disappear again. She breathed deeply and smiled. She still worried about him, but now she had more solid things to worry over. Things that could be dealt with, that were manageable.

When Ikuto's arm draped over her back in his sleep, Amu smiled. Everything was going to be okay now.


End file.
